CHAPTER 35
ASHTON STAYED at her house that night. He's hugging her from the side while she's facing him too, a big space between them filled by her big stomach.
“—she asked me to talk. Sheila told me just one night. If ever the talk didn't end like she expected, she will continue bugging me. I gave her change to talk, that's the meaning of one night.” Pagpapaliwanag sa kaniya ni Ashton.
Nahihiyang nag-iwas ng tingin si Carisha. Mali siya sa parte na 'yon at sisigiraduhin niyang papakinggan ito sa susunod.
“I'm sorry for doubting you.” She said, sincerely.
Ashton smiled at her and give her a kiss on forehead, “it's okay. It's normal.”
Napangiti narin si Carisha at medyo lumapit sa kasintahan. “Ano naman ang napag-usapan niyo?”
“She want me to leave you, as expected. But i told her i won't. She insisted and tell me some nonsense things.” Parang walang pake si Ashton sa sinabi ni Sheila sa uri ng pagkakasabi nito.
Carisha's brows shot up, “what do you mean by nonsense things?”
Hinaplos nito ang buhok niya habang nagsasalita. “You know, that you'll be in danger if i didn't leave you. That my triplets will be all gone once i insisted. And etchetera that i have no intirest with.” Ashton kiss her cheek, “nothing can separate you with me. Sa akin lang kayo ng mga anak natin. Sa 'kin lang kayo.” Madamdaming sabi ni Ashton.
Carisha heart warmed by his words. Wala siyang masabi. Tuwang-tuwa ang puso niya sa narinig ang napanatwg ang kaniyabg isipan.
“Mahal na mahal kita, Ashton.” Aniya, halos pabulong na.
“Mas mahal na mahal kita, Carisha.” Bulong nito pabalik.
Nagpatuloy lang sila sa pag-uusap ng binata. Tipong ibinabalik nila ang tatlong araw na nawala sa kanila.
“There's something to her action that i can't define.” Ani Ashton na hindi niya naintindihan.
“You mean?”
Tumingin sa kaniyang mga mata ang kasintahan, “she looks so vulnerable that night. I mean—uh, i can't explain, baby. Parang may mali eh.” Naguguluhang sabi ni Ashton, kumukunot pa ang noo at nagsasalubong ang kilay.
Carisha don't know why a thought came from her mind. Hindi kaya...?
“M-May kakilala ka ba dati na... na napalapit sa 'yo? O... nagustuhan ka?” Tanong niya, kinakabahan sa maari nitong isagot.
Mukhang napaisip ang lalaki dahil tumahimik ito saglit. Ngunit kaagad ring nagsalita, “just don't get jealous, okay? I'm all yours.” Babala ni Ashton sa kaniya.
Naiinis na sinuntok niya ito sa braso, 'yun na 'yon eh, panira. “Heh! Hindi no!” Malakas na sabi niya.
Ashton chuckled and fix her hair, “yes. I have a bestfriend before. Well, she confessed to me but... i don't have a feelings for her. Parang kapatid na ang turing ko sa kaniya. Simula nuon ay hindi ko na siya nakita hanggang sa nalaman kong nag-migrate na sila sa ibang bansa.” Pagkwe-kwento sa kaniya.
Napalunok si Carisha at parang nahihirapang magsink-in sa utak niya ang sinabi nito.
F L A S H B A C K
NAG-AARAL si Ashton sa loob ng library nang biglang may nambato sa kaniya ng papel. Kunot ang nuong inilibot niya ang paningin ngunit wala naman siyang makitang pwedeng mangbato sa kaniya.
Iiling-iling siyang nagpatuloy sa pagbabasa nang May tumama na namang papel na bilog sa kaniya.
‘F-ck!’
Irritatedly, he stood up and about to leave when the paper slightly turn over and read 'you'. Kinuha niya iyon at isa pala iyong sulat.
“I wanna be friends with you.” Even he look annoyed, his inner self felt happy.
Until the day comes that a lady face him and told him she is behind those letter.
They became friends and as the time pass by, they becane bestfriends. Ashton treated her as his own sister. Give her the protecting she needed and a brother she've longing for.
Pareho silang masaya sa isa't-isa, hanggang sa May sabihin ito sa kaniya.
“I love you, Ashton. I love you so much...” Anito.
Ashton shakes his head, “i love you too. But not as a lover, but as a sister. I love you only as a sister. And didn't i told you that i already love someone else?”
“Pero bata iyon! She's too young for you!”
Nag-igtingan ang kaniyang panga, “but i love her. Please, just accept what i really feel.”
Starting that day, she didn't showed up her face until Ashton found out that they left to migratr in Canada.
Mag-isa siya na nakaupo sa bench nang makita niya ang dati niya pang sinisilip sa High School na katabi lang ng College.
“Hannah! Pagod na ako!” Nakasimangot nitong sabi, hingal dahil sa paghabol nito sa kaibigan. “Ibalik mo na kasi sa akin iyang diary ko!” Malakas na boses na sabi nito.
Mapang-asar na tumawa ang kaibigan nitong si Hannah, “hindi! Ayaw mo naman kasing isabi sa akin kung sino ang crush mo eh! Kaya basahin ko nalang dito” Sigaw pabalik ni Hannah.
Naglibot ang paningin nito at nagkasalubong ang kanilang mga mata. Mabilis na nag-iwas ito ng tingin sa kaniya at ibinalik sa kaibigan.
“Hannah naman!” Pagtatampo nito at nagpapadyak dahil sa inis.
Ashton chuckled a little and enjoyed watching her. Soon, hindi nalang pagnuod sa malayo ang magagawa niya rito.
At alam niyang simula ng araw na nakita niyq ito, ay hulog na hulog na siya.
E N D O F F L A S H B A C K
“H-HANNAH ba kamo ang pangalan ng kaibigan niya...?” KAPOS ang boses na ani Carisha.
Tumango ang kasintahan, “yes. She was too young that time that i even forgot how she look like. But, baby, you're the one i love now.”
Napalunok si Carisha, “h-hindi mo alam ang pangalan niya?”
“People call her Car. But, her full name? I didn't know.” Sagot muli ng kasintahan. “Don't budge, baby. She's just part of a past now.” Mariing sabi ni Ashton.
Carisha didn't know how to feel. Natagpuan nalang niya ang sariling umiiyak at pinapatahan ng walang alam na si Ashton.
“Baby, why are you crying? May masakit ba? Ha?” Nag-aalalang tanong nito sa kaniya.
Sunod-sunod siyang umiling at kahit nahihirapan ay patagilid itong niyakap, “i love you. I love you. I love you.” She chanted.
Ashton smirked, “why does it looks so hot and tempting while you're saying I love you?” He tsked, “lagot ka talaga sa 'kin kapag nanganak ka na.” Malapad ang ngisi nito sa labi na tinawanan niya.
Naiiyak na siya pero hindj niya mapigilang matawa sa kakenkoyan ng fiancé niya. “Don't tell me bubuntisin mo ako ulit?” Nakataas kilay niyang tanong.
Naglumikot ang mata nito, “ah-uh, you got me there, baby.” Ashton winks at her. Natatawang sinampal niya ang matipuno nitong braso.
“Akala mo naman madaling manganak! Ashton, ha!” Pinanlakihan ni Carisha ito ng mata. Ashton lovely laugh, and kiss her lips.
“I'm just kidding. Of course i know how hard it is. But if you want, i'm always ready, baby.” He wiggles his eyebrows, making her laugh again.
This man...
“Ashton...” She called him out.
“Hmm?” He look up on her. The way he look... Carisha wanted to cry because it coating her heart.
Carisha looked onto his eyes, having an eye to eye contact with Ashton. “Do you wanna know who is your childhood love now?” She asked, kinda excited and nervous. What would he react?
“I told you, she's nothing to me now. She's just a part of a past.”
Napabusangot siya sa sagot nito. Nothing? “Bwesit ka! Nakakainis ka!” Galit niyang sabi at kahit kagustuhan man niyang mabilis na bumangon ay hindi niya nagawa. Tinulungan oa siya ni Ashton upang makabangon na mas lalo niyang kinainis.
“Wait, where are you going?” Nagtatakang tanong nito.
Carisha glared at Ashton, “kung saan importante ang childhood love nila!” Inis niyang at akmang bubuksan ang pinto ng kwarto nila pero hindi niya maabot ang senadura. “Ashtonnnn!!” Sigaw niyang muli.
Dali-daling tumayo ito mula sa kama, saka binuksan ang pintuan “what?” Inosente nitong tamong.
Carisha didn't spoke, but being too emotional, tears fell from her eyes and she made a sounds of crying.
Ashton held her face through his two hands, “shh, why are you crying again?” Malambing nitong tanong sa kaniya.
“K-Kasi ikaw...” Sisì niya kay Ashton.
Ashton blinks, “ako? Baby, ikaw 'yung kanina pa nagagalit diyan eh.” Carisha can sense that he's now frustrated but restraining himself to burst out.
Ngumuso siya, “because you said; your childhood love is nothing important now.” Humihikbing aniya.
“Yes, i said that and i mean it. You're the most important with our triplets now.”;He said firmly. Like as if trying for her to understand it very carefully.
“Eh ako iyon eh! I'm your childhood love! I am Car! Nakakainis ka!” Carisha burts out and leave him in their room.
Minutes later, Ashton shouted, “what the f-ck, baby?!”
“What the f-ck ka rin!”
ASHTON WIGGLED his eyebrows at Carisha when she took a glance on him. Inakma niyang ibabato rito ang burger na kinakain na ikinatawa ng kasintahan.
She rolled her eyes and look way. When she glance at him again, he raised his brow and smirked.
Carisha puffs air, at ito na nga, naging ipo-ipo na ang lalaking nasa tabi niya.
“Can you please stop doing that?” Galit niyang sabi, well not really mad, she's just irritated.
Ashton look at her with a smug smirk on his lips, “why, baby? I'm just proud as f-ck that my love before is the same right now.” Anglapad ng ngiti, sarap tanggalin ng labi.
Ganito na ito simula kahapon hanggang ngayon. Hindi iniwan ng ngiti ang mapupulang labi ng kasintahan at panay ang tukso nito sa kaniya. Why?
Dahil nang ikwento nito ang tungkol sa childhood love ng kasintahan ay may naalala siyang mga pangyayari nuong nasa first grade High school pa lamang siya.
She have a crush on a college guy who transferred to Australia para ipagpatuloy ang pag-aaral at wala na siyang naging balita pa.
Kaya naman itong katabi niya ay nagiging mahangin na kahapon pa.
“Oh baka naman dahil crush din kita noon? H'wag mo akong inisin.” Pinantirikan niya ng mata ang kasintahan.
Ashton tried to supressed his smile, “hindi na. Galit agad ang baby ko.” Mapang-asar nitong saad.
Inambahan niya uli ito na ikinataas ng kanang kamay, tila ba sumusuko na. Carisha rollled back her eyes once again and focus on her food. Nagugutom talaga siya.
PRETTY IN DARK|PID